Helical wire bound notebook and helical binding therefor



Sept.-; 1, 1970 A. FREUNDLICH 3, ,4

HELICAL WIRE BOUND NOTEBOOK AND HELICAL BINDING THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1967 INVENTOR. 4 mew/041a ,4 rmmvsr United States Patent 3,526,415 HELICAL WIRE BOUND NOTEBOOK AND HELICAL BINDING THEREFOR Albert Freundlich, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Freundlich- Gomez Machinery Corporation, College Point, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 686,619 Int. Cl. B42b /12 US. Cl. 281-21 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The helical coil binder for the notebook or pad has at its end convolutions, integral intnrned longitudinal loops to lock said end convolutions to adjacent convolutions, against pulling out. These end loops are sufliciently closed not to allow other binders to pass into said loops. The binding is made of hard wire and will not distort during binding and yet can be made by means of automatic machinery. With this construction the end convolutions will not interhook with other bindings, and will not unwind from the notebook or pad which it binds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to pads or notebooks with helical binders. It is particularly directed to providing loops on the end convolutions of such bindings so constructed as to prevent the end convolutions from interhooking with other bindings or snagging onto other articles and to prevent the bindings from unwinding from the pad or notebook.

Description of the prior art In the prior art can be found a helical binding with means to close the end convolutions but this was a construction that was made of soft wire and included a portion extending from the end convolution and was coiled all around a next adjacent convolution. This construction could only be made by means of automatic machinery with great difficulty. In another prior art construction, the end convolutions were provided with inwardly bent fingers that snapped under adjacent convolutions so that a slight pull outward on the end convolution would pry the fingers loose and leave loose ends that interhooked and allowed the binders to unwind from the notebooks or pads. With such prior construction, a second binder could snap in between the finger and the adjacent coil it engages, and thus binders could readily interlock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a helical binding coil for a notebook, of the character described, having means to lock the end convolutions against opening; which shall prevent said end convolutions from being pulled outwardly from normal position; and which will prevent the binding from unwinding from the notebook.

Another object of this invention is to provide a helical notebook binder of the character described which can be made on automatic machinery of hard wire.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable helical binder of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble with a notebook, which shall be safe in use, and yet practical and efiicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the fetaures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement 3,526,415 Patented Sept. 1, 1970 ice of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a top view of a notebook with a helical binder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of one corner of the notebook and its binding;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of one end of the binder; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a bound notebook embodying the invention. Notebook 10 comprises a stack or bunch of leaves 11 with top and bottom covers 12. The covers and leaves have a row of registering openings 13 to receive a helical coil binder 15 preferably made of hard wire.

The binder 15 has end convolutions 16, each provided with a longitudinally inwardly extending terminal loop 17 looped about the adjacent convolution 18. The loop comprises an arm 19 extending substantially at right angles to end convolution 16. At the inner end of arm 19 is a bent-back portion 20 extending around the outside of convolution 18 then radially inwardly through the space between convolution 18 and the next adjacent convolution 21. Extending from bent-back portion 20 is a longitudinally outwardly extending slightly curved arm 23 disposed at the inner side of convolution 18 and terminating in a wire end 24 close to the bend 25 at the junction of convolution 16 and arm 19, to close the loop. The loop 17 is substantially in a longitudinal plane radial with respect to the axis of the helical binder.

The bent-back portion 20 is substantially in contact with convolution 18. Arm 23 projects longitudinally outwardly and is disposed beneath arm 19. The end 24 is thus covered. The space between point 24 and arm 19 is less than the diameter of the wire of which binder 15 is made. Said binder is of wire of uniform diameter. Thus, wire of similar diameter cannot pass into or out of loop 17.

It will be noted that the end convolution 16 is closed or locked to the next convolution 18 thereby avoiding a loose or free end that could interengage with other binders or which might snag on clothing or hurt anyone handling the binders or the notebook.

The end convolution is retained against being pulled out by the loop 17. Yet the loop may be sufficiently sized so that the end convolution can be resiliently pressed longitudinally inwardly and does not provide a rigid connection to the next convolution 18. The loops 17 do not have to be of precise or fixed length. Even if they were somewhat longer it would not matter. Upon pressing the end convolution 16 longitudinally inwardly, convolution 18 moves longitudinally of the binder relatively to the loop. The slot formed by loop 17 is wide enough so that the convolution 18 may slide therein.

If desired however the outwardly extending arms 23 of loops 17 may pinch the next adjacent coils 21, it being important however that arms 23 project longitudinally outwardly and be disposed beneath or inside arms 19.

In prior devices, a finger was provided on the end convolution that extended inwardly and merely engaged or was snapped under the next convolution. With such construction a slight pull outward on the end turn of the binder would pull the finger out from engagement with the next turn of the binder and then the end turn had a loose free end that was a great nuisance since it allowed interlocking of binders and allowed unwinding of the binder relative to the notebook.

In another prior construction, the end convolution had a longitudinally inwardly bent arm, the end of which coiled tightly about the next inner convolution. Such construction was very difficult to manufacture on automatic machinery of hard Wire and presented a firm strut-like connection between the outer convolution and the convolution next adjacent thereto. There was no movement possible between the outer two convolutions at the interlock and this rigidity could hurt a user if the interlock pressed against him.

Furthermore it will be observed that in the present construction, the outer end 24 of the loop is at the inside of the loop 17 and beneath arm 19, and radially inwardly of bend 25, and not at its outer side, thereby providing additional safety.

The loop is entirely closed or closed at least sufiiciently not to allow the coil adjacent the end coil to move out of the loop between end 24 and bend 25.

The binder 15 is preferably made of steel wire manufactured to a minimum hardness of 110,000 p.s.i. and a maximum of 150,000 p.s.i. so as not to distort during binding of the helical coil on the notebook. The hardness of the wire will keep the loops from opening up.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an article in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of prac tical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A helical coil binder for a stack of loose leaves, said binder comprising a coil having end convolutions from which loops extend longitudinally inwardly of the ends of said coil, each of said loops comprising a first portion extending inwardly from an end convolution of said coil and disposed at the outer side of the next adjacent convolution, a second portion extending from said first portion, radially inwardly between said next adjacent convolution and the convolution longitudinally inwardly next adjacent thereto, and a third portion extending outwardly from said second portion and disposed at the inside of said convolution which is next adjacent to said end convolution, and terminating in an end disposed in spaced longitudinal relation outwardly away from said next to said end convolution, a major portion of the distance from said next to the end convolution to said end convolution, said binder being made of wire of uniform diameter, the distance from said end to said first portion being less than the diameter of said wire, to prevent wire of such diameter from passing between said first portion and said end, said loops being elongated and slidable longitudinally relatively to said next adjacent convolutions upon moving said end convolutions longitudinally inwardly without disengaging from said next adjacent convolutions, said third portion extending only longitudinally outwardly of said next adjacent convolution and no part of said third portion of said loop extending longitudinally inwardly of said next adjacent convolution.

2. The combination of claim 1, said loops each being disposed in a longitudinal plane radial with respect to the axis of the binder.

3. The combination of claim 1, and a stack of loose leaves having openings receiving the convolutions of said binder.

4. The combination of claim 1, said wire comprising steel wire of hardness between 110,000 p.s.i. and 150,000 p.s.1.

5. The combination of claim 1, said first and third portions being elongated and extending longitudinally of the axis of said coil, said first portion forming a bend with an end convolution of said coil, said end of said third portion being disposed adjacent said bend.

6. The combination of claim 1, said third portion being disposed beneath said first portion, said loops being substantially closed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,942,026 l/ 1934 Groener. 1,985,776 12/1934 Groener. 2,05 8,272 10/ 1936 Taylor. 2,142,817 l/1939 Gudis.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner 

